


In The Deja Vu

by mixersmove



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Not Beta Read, Sarah is stubborn af
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:15:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24461905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mixersmove/pseuds/mixersmove
Summary: For Persephone and Hades, it all started the day Sarah Williams stumbled upon the Underworld, the Human Division, close to death and babbling about goblins. The real story started when Sarah was merely 16 years of age, but you already knew that, didn’t you? To this day, Persephone could not tell you how a mortal human girl had done what she herself, a goddess, failed to do: survive in a world that no longer acknowledged you as one of it’s own.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Jareth/Sarah Williams
Comments: 7
Kudos: 39





	1. Chapter 1

Persephone was not the victim as most people perceived her to be. As most humans are wont to do, they got the story of her relationship with Hades completely and utterly wrong. Instead of her being the unwilling participant to Hades’ affections, causing him to simply kidnap her and force her to stay with him for all of eternity in the Underworld, Persephone had been very much willing to return his love and accept his offer. However, she would be willing to admit that at first she _had_ hated Hades. Oh, how she had hated him; his arrogance; the way he spoke to people as though they were merely trash at his feet. All of which had infuriated her. Not to mention there was the fact that he had a temper so terrible it would send a piercing chill straight through her bones. Perhaps that was why she was the best person for the job of loving a man so terrible, people called him the devil - which was silly, gods had nothing to do with the divine world of spirituality, that was all capital G God or whomever you chose to believe in. 

Instead of being cowed by Hades temper, Persephone would shoot back at him, giving as good as he gave; when he arrogantly thought he knew best, she was there to prove him wrong, or at least knock him down a peg or two. So, instead of like the fabled myths of her marriage, Persephone had ate willingly from the pomegranate that Hades had offered her. She hadn’t known at the time that it was sealing her fate as living in the Underworld for all of eternity, but at the time, she had been making a promise to spend her life with Hades anyways, so she hadn’t been too angry when she found out the truth.

Because Hades was not the bad guy people painted him out to be, Persephone was allowed Aboveground to do her godly duties in the spring, despite the fact that even in the Underground her power would have been able to push up to the earth without making her break a sweat. Even with his permission, the most Persephone could be Aboveground was 39 hours max. She had timed it once, seeing how long she could be away from the Underworld before the separation began to actually take a toll on her. During those 39 hours, Persephone could safely eat and drink Aboveground, go around the world to release them from the icy grip of winter, and pop in on her mother. Once she hit the 39th hour, her energy would start to slowly fade out, her appetite disappearing altogether. The one time she had tested her endurance to being away from the Underworld, Persephone had discovered she was restless, almost cagey in her mannerisms the longer she was away from Hades and his domain. The second she had returned she could breathe, and the moment he had wrapped her in his arms she was whole.

The one thing the humans had gotten right in their stories of her, was that she was the Queen of the Underworld. In a lot of myths and fables or the Underworld, or Underground, there was a High King and a High Queen, with various kings and queens for the subsections of the Underworld. This was true. The Underworld was divided by race or species, whichever term you preferred. Each division of race had a High King and Queen. For the Fae division, it was Oberon and Titania; for the human division, it was Hades and Persephone, and so on and so forth.

Normally if there was something wrong with the Fae division, Persephone and Hades would look the other way. However, this story is one where they were dragged in. For a Fae King, the Goblin King to be precise, had fallen in love with a human girl. Now, that should be a case that the Fae could solve on their own by turning the girl into a fae or something equally useful. But, this was not a normal case. 

For Persephone and Hades, it all started the day Sarah Williams stumbled upon the Underworld, the Human Division, close to death and babbling about goblins. The real story started when Sarah was merely 16 years of age, but you already knew that, didn’t you? To this day, Persephone could not tell you how a mortal human girl had done what she herself, a goddess, failed to do: survive in a world that no longer acknowledged you as one of it’s own.

~*~

Sarah examined her reflection critically, looking not for vanity purposes, but purely for the inventory of her body. Bones jutted out in sharp places, her skin withdrawn and tight around the skeletal frame of her body, eyes sunken in, the colour faded into a dull and murky green. Her hair hung in limp strands that were brittle and lacking it’s former lustre. The very thought of eating made her sick, the thought of showering exhausted her, and her body rejected any and all forms of sleep. She could take tablet after tablet of sleeping aides and be no more sleepy than she was four hours ago. Which led her in a vicious cycle of being beyond tired, yet unable to sleep to replenish her energy levels.

She was 34 years old and looked about 68 on a good day.

Limply running a hand through her faded locks, Sarah tried to muster the energy to pull her hair back into a low ponytail, wanting to look as decent as possible for when her dad and Irene came over with Toby. She had tried to do her makeup, but after a light coat of mascara she had been unable to finish. Wearing a dress that used to hug all of her curves, it now hung loosely on her body, and she tried to disguise her lack of any body at all by tying a belt around her waist to try and pretend she wasn’t drowning in the silky fabric. Sarah walked slowly out of her room, hugging herself to try and ward off the chill that permanently hung around her.

No sooner had she reached the front sitting room and sank down on one of the overstuffed sitting chairs to wait for her family, the doorbell rang. Sarah could hear Toby’s laugh reverberating across the snowy neighbourhood, comforting and warming in a way she had forgotten was possible. Drawing in a deep breath, Sarah pushed herself to her feet and shuffled towards the front door, realising too late that she had forgotten to put on shoes and was still wearing her warm but very tattered house slippers. She opened the door, putting on her brightest smile, although the way her father’s eyes softened and filled with concern and how Irene’s smile dimmed quite comically, it was clear even her best smile couldn’t appease them that she was in fact okay.

That was the point of this whole visit; Instead of making the trek across town, her father had suggested they do Christmas at her own house. They would bring all the food and she need only provide lots and lots of coffee and maybe a bottle or two of wine. Sarah wasn’t an idiot, she may be tired, but she knew the reason they were coming to her rather her to them was because they were worried about her. They wanted to see for their own eyes what was wrong with her. Well, they could tell her if they ever figured it out, for Sarah herself didn’t even know why it took all of her energy to simply walk down the short walkway to her mailbox for the post, rendering her to lay weakly on the couch for a good three hours while she tried to gain the energy to get back up.

Toby came forward and wrapped her up in a big hug, his long arms very nearly able to wrap around her twice. Sarah took comfort in the woodsy scent that was purely her little brother, tears stinging her eyes when she realised just how long it had been since she had seen Toby. What with her severe lack of being able to do anything, Sarah hardly ever saw anyone. Not Toby, not their parents, or even her own friends. Work had given up on trying to get her back and if it wasn’t for the trust fund her biological mother had left, Sarah would probably be homeless. Not that her father would let her be homeless, but still, Sarah knew herself and she would probably rather live in a women’s shelter than admit to her father that she needed help financially. Thankfully that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon as long as Sarah lived within her means.

“Toby, go help your father unload, Sarah and I will get us a cuppa to warm us up,” Irene said softly, touching Sarah on the shoulder.

Jumping, Sarah wondered just how long she had been standing there hugging Toby. Her heart ached as Toby leant down to kiss her forehead, gripping the back of her neck softly as if to remind himself that she was still alive. She hated worrying her family, but most of all Toby, whom she had ended up growing very close with despite being pettily jealous of him when he was first born. 

“I’ve got the kettle on,” Sarah told Irene, accepting the hug from the older woman before shuffling into the kitchen. There was coffee brewing on the countertop and the kettle was whistling merrily, warming the air that felt stagnant to Sarah.

As the two women got out some biscuits to go with their tea, Toby and their father brought in massive quantities of food, loading down her countertops with steaming platters and bowls. Sarah suspected magic was involved, for how else could have the food stayed that hot during a trip through the frigid winter air, even with the heater on? Irene always had been quite magical in the kitchen in ways that left Sarah envious and, later on, grateful.

While they sat down to enjoy a cuppa, the inevitable awkward silence came as Sarah finished handing out the chocolate digestives, sitting down slowly and painfully, wheezing slightly. They all stared at her, concern and sorrow radiating off her parents in waves; Toby being the only one who seemed content to just drink his tea and smile warmly at her. “How’s uni?” Sarah asked, hoping they could at least let her breathe for a bit before starting in on their concerns.

Toby’s eyes lit up and he launched into a spiel about how uni was the best thing and this year was even better than the last. There was a brief moment about a girl, but Toby waved it off saying he wasn’t looking for anything serious. “My classes are a breeze,” he added. “My professors are so cool!” He rattled on and on, filling the room up with his retelling of some of his “cooler” lectures, how one girl fell asleep during a slideshow and peed her pants when the professor dropped a pile of books near her.

Sometime during Toby’s last story, Irene had gotten up and began putting the food onto the table and announced that it was now a good time to eat dinner. Sarah would have felt bad for not helping getting the table set up, but to be honest, she didn’t have the energy to care. For the first time in probably a good five years, Sarah laughed out loud when Toby picked her up as though she was no more than a child, carrying her carefully over to the table and setting her down like she was made of fine china.

Her father cut into the Christmas ham, waving the knife at Toby teasingly when he complained that they should have turkey instead. “Your mum slaved away on this ham, young man, don’t make me send you away to the goblins!”

Sarah felt a nagging pull in her chest, the word goblins echoing around her head almost comfortingly. She mentally brushed it off, not wanting to miss a single second of her precious time with her family. They may live in the same town but some days it felt like she lived in a whole other world from them. A small smile graced Sarah’s face and she took a sip of the sparkling cider in her goblet, choking on the fizzy liquid when a peculiar taste spread across her tongue. “What is this?” she asked in a raspy voice, clearing her throat to try and sound normal again.

Irene turned around to glance at the bottle and replied with a shrug, “Peach. Your father received it as a gift at work.”

“Tastes funny,” Sarah mumbled, taking another sip to see if it was just the initial reaction to an unexpected flavour or if it really did taste off. The second taste went down just as sourly and Sarah decided she would stick to water for the remainder of the meal. She smiled wanly when Irene and her father both took experimental sips and declared the drink fine to them. “I’ve never really liked peach.” Which, wasn’t exactly true. The flavour of peaches was fine, but whenever she had them she felt all melancholy and like she was missing something staring her directly in the face. She tended to avoid them for that very same reason, hating the sense that she lost something very dear to her.

The rest of the meal passed by semi uneventfully. Toby of course ate more than any human being should be able to, while Irene tried to scold him and make him take smaller bites, but it was clear to everyone that she was just happy to have her baby home from university. Sarah picked at her food, trying to wash as much down as she could with sips of water, frustrated that everything smelt and tasted like ash. She was nostalgic for her old sheepdog Merlin, for if he were here she could have just slipped her food to him like she had done when she was younger.

~*~

Sarah was propped against the couch, looking out the massive window of her house that overlooked the front yard, watching Toby build her a snowman that looked curiously misshapen and more like some sort of creature rather than the traditional snowman. He had begged her to come out and play in the snow with him, but thankfully Irene had shut him down with one firm look and a softly tutted _“Sarah is going to help me with something, Toby, love. How on earth you can have so much energy after all of that food is beyond me.”_ Sarah was exhausted from sitting up for so long and she really wanted to go back to bed, but really didn’t want to face all of the concerned questions of which she didn’t have the answers.

Irene was making a few biscuits to go with their pudding later, as if they didn’t already have enough. She was the type of woman who liked to stay busy and had never really gotten the hang of just sitting around knitting or crocheting - which is what she had brought along in hopes Sarah could do it with her. 

Sarah was only too happy to let everyone do their own thing whilst she was just sat there watching it all with a fond smile. After checking to make sure her father was still engrossed in the book she had given him, Sarah slowly turned her head to check on Toby and froze when she saw that Toby was not alone. Surrounding him were various snow creatures, but there was also a scattering of real life creatures playing happily in the snow.

The creatures weren’t what you would call cute, but they were so ugly it actually kind of was. One had a protruding lower lip with a single tooth pressing into the flesh, drawing a greenish goo when the creature tumbled down and bit it’s own lip. Another had exactly four tufts of fur on it’s entire head and it cackled loudly as it stole a metal strainer from one of the other creatures. Sarah could only stare in horrified fascination, unaware of how her heart was racing. With shaky hands she reached for her glass of red wine, draining the small goblet in one go, spluttering when she tasted not the red wine but the peachy death that was in her father’s goblet. The creatures turned and fixated their little eyes on her as she choked, the most curious expressions on their wee faces. It was almost like they were worried about her. Without knowing why, Sarah lifted a weak hand and gestured to show she was okay, somehow not surprised when they blew raspberries at her almost lovingly and resumed playing in the snow.

Sarah felt like her head was fuzzy and like the world was dancing, not even stopping when she leaned down to rest her head on her folded arms atop the couch. Blurry images played like a reel of film in her head, the sound distorted and the images just colourful shapes that flickered in and out of focus. _Remember. Remember. Remember._

“Remember what?” Sarah asked drowsily, palming feebly at her eyes to try and get some clarity. Her legs were restless, a manic energy slowly pouring into her body, filling her up with the need to just move and get out of there. Much to her father’s dismay, Sarah got up and leant down to kiss his cheek as she informed him that she was going for a walk. All of his questions bounced off of her, in one ear and out the other, not even Irene’s shrill concern enough to break through the haze of _go go go_ that Sarah felt. She was vaguely aware of Toby calling out her name, almost stopping when he said the strangest thing: “It’s for the best, Sarah.” Her feet kept urging her on, so Sarah simply blinked and turned away from him, sluggishly moving through the snow in just her slippers and not even a jacket to protect herself from the bitter wind.

How long she walked, she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that it was extremely lucky that there was no traffic. Sarah’s feet didn’t really pay attention to the laws of the road, just going where they pleased on the mission that she was in the dark on. Visions of dancing goblins and barn owls filled her head and she felt she would go mad with trying to remember the significance of it all. She hummed the haunting melody that was on repeat in her memory box, a swooping feeling of being led around a ballroom making her fall to her knees and doubling over in pain. It was as if that one memory had pierced through the veil and all of these memories and the emotions that came with them came flooding in.

Sarah was faintly aware that someone was screaming in agony and she briefly wondered if that someone was her, but the onslaught of memories returning to her was excruciating all by itself, she didn’t need to worry about a scream she may or may not have heard. She clutched at her head, mentally begging for the pain to go away. Sarah remembered the Labyrinth, telling the Goblin King that he had no power over her, remembered the crushing weight of sadness that had hit her when he seemed to break right in front of her, tossing the crystal in the air like he was throwing in the towel for good. She remembered everything, and remembered how only three days after returning from the Underground that she stopped eating and started becoming more and more tired with each passing day.

“I remember and I’m sorry,” Sarah whispered into the ground, burying her burning face in the crisp snow. She closed her eyes and decided now was as good as any time for a nap. As her consciousness slipped away, Sarah dazedly mumbled out one final sentence.

“I wish I could go back.”

~*~

Persephone had just returned from the fields of punishment when the front door began glowing and it blasted open in an icy breeze, one final glow exploding and showering the room with it’s sparkling intensity - almost like a shower of glitter. When everything had settled once more and Persephone could see clearly, she was startled to see a human woman laying upon the floor, dull eyes darting around unseeingly, frail hands twisting together agitatedly. 

Cautiously, Persephone stepped forward and examined the human, having to strain to hear the words that were falling from the woman’s cracked and bleeding lips. Judging by the faint sheen of blue that tinted her skin, Persephone would guess that this woman had nearly frozen to death and somehow had managed to wish herself here. For it was only a wish that could take you directly to Hades and Persephone’s home in the Underworld, although to be able to use that much power in a single wish was... Well, it had never actually been done before.

“I’m sorry,” the woman babbled. Abruptly, her eyes fixated on Persephone’s and their intensity had Persephone rooted in place. “I can breathe.” Her tone was wondering and she released the grip she had on her hands, letting them relax and fall to the floor. “I can breathe.”

Persephone knelt down next to the woman and touched her forehead, alarmed at how hot the woman’s skin was. No human should ever be that warm and still be alive. “What happened to you, sweetie?”

Green eyes seemed to blossom into more colour right before her, the woman smiling deliriously. “I belong here. I belong to him. Find him. Find my King.” No sooner was the final syllable out of her mouth, the woman fell out of consciousness and her head lolled to the left, lips still moving. Something about goblins and chickens and... a hoggle?

Standing, Persephone ordered one of the servants to come take the woman to the guest chamber. She had no idea who this woman was, but the power radiating off of her, even in her weakened state, was a clear indicator that she was someone important. Even if she was a human. As Persephone followed the two ghosts who were transporting the woman to a bedroom, she wanted to hit herself as the meaning dawned on her. Goblins and chickens weren’t rare in the underground. But together as a combination they were. Everyone knew that goblins couldn’t focus when there was a chicken around, so the two were usually left separate. Except for one realm where the two went hand in hand.

The land of the goblins, ruled by the Goblin King, Jareth, eldest son of Oberon and Titania of the Fae division.


	2. Chapter Two

_“I have waited a long time for you, my champion.”_

Sarah felt the words brush against her face almost lovingly more than she heard them. She glanced around, though she knew she wouldn’t find anyone physically there. “You’re-” Sarah trailed off hesitantly, unsure how to address the voice. She didn’t recognise the voice, yet somehow she _did._

_“Yes, I am the Spirit of the Labyrinth.”_

There was another flutter of air winding itself around Sarah’s body as though the Spirit was giving her a warm hug. In it’s foreign, yet still familiar way, Sarah felt a sense of comfort she hadn’t in years.

How long had it been since she thought of the Labyrinth? More importantly, when had she stopped? Why had she let her memories of the Labyrinth go?

“Where are we?” Sarah finally took notice of her surroundings, unsure how she missed the roaring waterfall or the dazzling flowers that seemed to have a pulsing glow that rippled and sparkled around each petal. She blinked slowly, her breath taken away at the beautiful oasis she seemed to be in, one that was far greater than anything her imagination could have ever conjured.

_“In my kingdom. The Labyrinth.”_

Sarah frowned in confusion. “I don’t remember any place like this...” She shook her head as she once again trailed off. There definitely hadn’t been anything this alive in the labyrinth when she had ran it all those years ago. Apart from the hedge maze section, everything else had been almost barren and desolate.

The wind seemed to huff in soft laughter. _“There are many places you have yet to see, my champion. When there is a runner, I am meant to give you twists and turns, riddles and tricks. Not distract you with beautiful things.”_

A memory of a ball that was both terrifying and beautiful flashed before Sarah’s eyes, causing her frown to deepen. “But the-”

_“That was his majesty’s doing, not mine, dear champion.”_

Sarah let the silence remain unbroken, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth as she stared unblinkingly at a shimmering orb float amongst the vibrant foliage. If that hadn’t been a normal trick of the labyrinth, and the Goblin King himself had put her in that ballroom, then had his offer of love been real? Not another trick?

_“Not a trick, my dear. That, however, is not my story to tell.”_

“Can you read minds?” Sarah blurted out, immediately ducking her head in slight embarrassment. If her thoughts weren’t her own, she better be careful.

A sense of amusement washed over and around Sarah once more. _“I know the thoughts and feelings of all my subjects and in return I can share mine as well.”_

Unsure of what to say in response, Sarah opted to nod in acknowledgement, staring once more at the surrounding scenery. It really was a breathtaking place. The sky was clear of clouds, allowing the full brunt of the sun to shine down, broken only by the strong trees that stood tall and proudly around the perimeter of the area. The air itself seemed to glow, even in the shaded areas. Fairies flitted about amongst tiny winged bugs that were too quick or too small for Sarah to identify.

In the crystal clear water fish darted about, their scales glinting in an array of rainbow flashes. There were also a few other creatures floating about, some rather dangerous looking, some deceptively sweet looking, but all none Sarah could recognise. She suddenly felt as though all she thought she knew about the labyrinth was only a small fraction of what it really was.

“You said you were waiting for me,” Sarah finally spoke up. “Why? Have you- have you been watching me?” She didn’t know how to articulate what she truly wanted to know, so hopefully the spirit could read her feelings and know better than Sarah herself did.

_“You are my Champion.”_ There was a pause, as though that was considered a sufficient enough reason, but the spirit knew Sarah wanted more. _“Will you allow me to show you?”_

Without quite knowing what she was consenting to, trusting the spirit regardless, Sarah nodded and murmured a quiet yes. Then, she felt another presence in her conscious before her vision faded to black.

~

The Labyrinth had been around for as long as the earth rotated around the sun, perhaps even longer. She had no real concept of time passing and had no real need for such a thing. A few monarchs had come and gone, wars won and lost, her kingdom an undiscovered bounty hidden behind a stigma of “useless” goblins and their refusal to part ways with their chicken friends/foes - it depended on the hour, really.

When Jareth ascended her throne, Labyrinth stirred a little more, intrigued by the young brash fae who had basically been shamed into being “titled” Goblin King. Normally Labyrinth didn’t involve herself in the silly and fickle affairs of the Fae, but Jareth managed to strike a chord within the heart of her, one she herself didn’t know she possessed.

For all his moaning, shouted threats, and claims of disgust, Jareth cared for her kingdom and all of its inhabitants, from the biggest creature all the way down to the smallest. Labyrinth watched from the shadows as her latest King slowly but surely made the Goblin Kingdom thrive and prosper more than it had under the last few monarchs. Thanks to him, Labyrinth felt comfortable releasing more of her more fragile and unique creatures out to roam freely once more. Due to unfair and downright cruel treatment, some of Labyrinth’s more special creatures had been tucked safely away in a hidden pocket of magic. Labyrinth would not allow any Fae, supposed monarch of her land or not, to harm her loyal subjects.

That being said, Labyrinth cared for her King unlike the others. She responded to his will and whims quicker and easier, amused how he thought it was a testament to _his_ great power that he could control her so well. He never stopped to consider it was only because _she wanted_ to please him. At least, not until she finally reached out to him with her consciousness and made privy to him that she was indeed alive and could talk through thoughts and feelings. King Jareth was of course shocked and it took some time before they found an easy and similar wavelength of coexisting together.

Then Sarah came.

Labyrinth could feel her King’s emotions as she could with all who resided within her boundaries. She knew before he did that his heart now belonged to the mortal from aboveground called Sarah, and it wasn’t much of a surprise that whilst Sarah was in the Underground, King Jareth made a mess of things trying to please Sarah’s wild fantasies. Labyrinth tried to reason with her king, stating that Sarah was a 16 year old _human_ and things couldn’t possibly end well if he made himself out to be the dark and enticing villain Sarah thought he was.

Jareth would not stand to listen, going as far to block her from his mind as much as his power could.

When his heart shattered as Sarah declared he had no power over her, Labyrinth grieved with him. She did not, however, fault the young mortal who had bested her king. During Sarah’s time running throughout her kingdom, Labyrinth had come to know Sarah’s heart as well. The human girl was young, going through a difficult time with no real guidance. On the precipice of becoming an adult but still holding onto her childish fantasies. Labyrinth would never understand how or why humans declared their offspring as responsible adults at the minuscule age of 18 human years. However, that was neither here nor there. The point was, Sarah was simply a confused child. The girl had no idea what or who she was playing with, nor what was at stake.

So Labyrinth let her go. Yes, Sarah had ate the peach offered to her, thus now belonging to the Underground and by extent, King Jareth. Labyrinth knew the rules better than anyone, having been there when the rules had been written. If you’re from the Aboveground and ate from the Underground, you were no longer able to live Aboveground. Your body would reject life up there, basically leaving you no choice but to remain in the Underground.

Labyrinth knew with how upset Jareth was, how young Sarah was, and how messy the whole thing could turn out if she made the young mortal stay. Sarah was her champion, Labyrinth needed the girl alive and with Jareth’s potential anger at being rejected, Labyrinth sent Sarah back to her home in the Aboveground to keep her safe and even sent her friends along for good measure.

Being alive - _technically-_ for thousands upon thousands of years, Labyrinth knew patience and was willing to let Sarah finish growing up before calling her back home. Jareth didn’t ask and Labyrinth kept it to herself for the time being. He wasn’t willing to renegotiate with Sarah and holed himself up in his castle and neglected his duties like a petulant child for awhile. Labyrinth allowed him to lick his wounds in peace, remembering to fae standards, he wasn’t much older than a child himself. So she kept quiet and kept watch; spreading her magic across a kingdom that was being ignored and to a girl who didn’t know she was toying with death.

Things got muddled and Labyrinth’s efforts were almost for naught when Sarah’s humanity tried to put up a fight. Being so far from the Underground prevented the change from happening, leaving Sarah’s body in a state of limbo between human and fae. Sarah’s body tried to cling to it’s human ways, folding in on itself when familiar things of water and human food were rejected. Labyrinth did what she could to keep Sarah alive, but as most humans do when they are grown, Sarah moved away.

Magic, especially the fae magic Labyrinth was created from, was a funny thing. She had vast amounts of power, yet could extend it only so far. The mirror in Sarah’s room was created by fae magic and had been lost on an old hunt centuries ago, though Labyrinth never understood how the fae could be so vain as to bring an entire mirror with them. However, that was beside the point. It had been recovered by some human travellers, restored and cleaned up, residual magic left in the reflective glass. The mirror was Labyrinth’s only link to Sarah in the Aboveground and the less Sarah visited her old room, the less Labyrinth was able to help Sarah.

Too soon it was almost too late.

Then along came Sarah’s little brother, Toby. Perhaps he was driven by his own fear and desperation, or maybe it was mixed and muddled with Labyrinth’s own calls. Whatever the case, Toby came into Sarah’s room and plead with the mirror for help and answers. He spoke of how he would catch Sarah talking to the mirror, how he remembered a little of his time in the Labyrinth - by story only. He figured Sarah was a great story teller, but even she couldn’t have made up the detail in which she spoke of the Goblin Kingdom and it’s intricate labyrinth.

Little by little, Labyrinth came to rely on Toby for news of her champion, learned to trust the young boy with wide earnest eyes. Despite having been won back and having the protection of her champion, Labyrinth reached back to Toby, entering his mind.

Toby had accepted Labyrinth into his mind easily, going along with the ease only the young have. He asked questions like what was wrong with his sister, but mostly spoke of how he wanted to help, how he would do anything as long as Sarah would be okay again.

With some trepidation, Labyrinth told young Toby that the only way for Sarah to get better, her champion would need to return to the Underground, to Labyrinth’s kingdom.

Forever.

It was nearly 2 weeks before Toby returned to Sarah’s room, having run out and slamming the door in response upon hearing Labyrinth’s only option. His young face was heavy and his eyes red. With a hoarse voice he asked what he needed to do.

Labyrinth was gentle in her instructions, understanding the sacrifice Toby was making and how deeply he loved his sister. She herself had felt similar pain when Sarah returned to the Aboveground, though she at least had known Sarah would return one day. Toby, sadly, had no such consolation.

Feeling both sadness and overwhelming joy, Labyrinth watched as Toby slowly left the room, a bottle of peach wine clutched tightly in his hands, his blue eyes swimming with unshed tears.

~

When Sarah came back to her own self, she found her eyes stinging with tears, her cheeks already wet. How long she had been standing there was unknown, for it felt like a lifetime had passed yet it also was as though no time had passed at all. “Oh, Toby,” she breathed, her heart aching for her brother. How much it must have pained him to know that he would have to let her go in order to help. And what he must have gone through to accept it even.

_“Young Toby is as strong as you, my dear champion.”_

Sarah managed a watery smile, words clogging up in her throat, rendering her unable to speak. She of course had always known Toby was strong and so very smart, but seeing Labyrinth’s memory of him, Sarah was taken by surprise at just how low she had underestimated him.

Wiping a few of her tears away, Sarah couldn’t help but let out a small, disbelieving laugh. “He knew, all this time he knew. I wonder why he never told me he knew the stories I told were true.”

There was no response, but then again Sarah hadn’t actually been searching for an answer. Sarah used the quiet to gather herself, reeling from the amount of information she had been thrust into. And yet, she could tell there was much that Labyrinth had glossed over or probably even skipped over entirely. Would it even do to begin asking questions? Or would she end up with more questions than answers yet again?

_“All in good time, my dear.”_

Right. Sarah had forgotten that there was no need to voice the questions aloud for Labyrinth was in her head. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about that, not that she had any choice in the matter. Before she could say or even think anything else on the matter, there was a loud crack, nearly making Sarah jump out of her skin.

A strong vibration ripped through the air, shaking Sarah’s entire body, though nothing else seemed effected. Sarah’s eyes widened as her body trembled from another forceful shock. “What’s going on?” It felt as the world around her was shaking and the very ground beneath her feet was about to fall apart.

_“They are trying to wake you up, dear champion. Let them so that you may return home.”_

“Let them? Am I not awake but simply dreaming?” Sarah’s alarm melted into confusion.

_“Are dreams any less a platform of reality? Relax, dear Sarah. All will be explained soon. Give them the power to at least wake you up, surely you can spare that much?”_

With those confusing words, Sarah shut her eyes and tried to ‘give up’ some of the power she was apparently holding onto. Before she could even think of asking another question or even say goodbye, Sarah felt a tugging sensation behind her navel and the world fell away much like a shattering of glass.

~*~

“There she is,” a soft melodic voice murmured, relief evident.

Sarah winced before even opening her eyes, a throbbing pain in her temple overriding all other senses. She cracked open one eye, peering up at an unnaturally ethereal looking woman, finding it unfair that this woman looked drop dead gorgeous while Sarah felt like death itself. Although, now that Sarah thought about it, her body felt better than it had in ages. She could breathe, the rocks in her airways and on her chest had vanished, and the constant thrumming of anxiety and near starvation wasn’t threatening to make her either throw up or pass out. All that aside, Sarah still felt pretty poorly what with her head pounding and her stomach churning angrily in hunger.

“You gave us quite a scare,” the beautiful woman spoke again, a soft smile playing on her full lips. The woman had smooth, clear cocoa brown skin, brown eyes that seemed to have a shimmering gold swirling throughout the iris, and the most full and pouty natural looking lips Sarah had ever seen. “How do you feel, sweetheart?”

“Like death,” Sarah croaked, trying for a smile and unsure how successful she was given how dry her lips felt.

There was a low scoff from the other side of the room. “That a joke?”

“I’m sure it is, dear,” the lady said with a placating smile, eyes on someone just beyond Sarah’s line of sight.

A tall man came into Sarah’s view, his dark eyes much more foreboding than his female counterpart, a furrow between his brows as he looked down at Sarah, not in contempt but poorly concealed concern. A shock of black hair was falling over his eyes, pale skin a stark contrast to the inky strands of hair. “What’s your name, girl?”

The tone may have been gruff, but Sarah knew an emotionally stunted person when she met them. By the way the man brushed his hand across the woman’s shoulder, so brief yet so tender, how his eyes flickered over Sarah’s body before narrowing as he quickly looked away, Sarah could tell this man had a good heart but didn’t know how to show it. So rather than get annoyed at being called ‘girl’, Sarah simply tried for another smile.

“Sarah Williams,” she said, trying to clear her throat free of the raspiness. “Where am I?”

“Not a joke at me then,” the man murmured, seeming surprised. “If you don’t know where you are, how did you get here?”

Before Sarah could reply, the woman cut in, hiding her surprise with a comforting smile. “Nice to meet you, Sarah. I am Persephone and this is my husband, Lord Hades, and we are rulers of the Underground. It is here in our home where you are. Four nights ago you appeared suddenly and without explanation, you’ve been asleep since then.”

Asleep for four whole days? No wonder Sarah felt better than she had in years; she hadn’t had that much sleep in forever! Sarah tried to sit up, grunting softly as her body creaked in protest.

The woman- no, Persephone, was quick to offer Sarah some assistance, helping prop her up on the many pillows that were scattered atop the bed. “I tried to spoon some water from Aboveground into your mouth, I’m afraid, however, you simply threw it all back up. I honestly wasn’t sure you were going to make it through the night.”

Now comfortably sitting up, Sarah looked at her saviours properly. They both seemed to have a glowing aura dazzling the air around them, power radiating off of them just as much. Slowly the names sunk in and Sarah gasped quietly. “Persephone and Hades you say? Like the Greek god and goddess?”

“So you weren’t making a joke about death then,” Hades repeated.

“Let it be,” Persephone said with an exasperated smile. “Yes, sweetheart, we are from your human myths. Surprised we actually exist?”

“Yes and no,” Sarah said honestly. “I’ve met stranger things before.” She wasn’t sure how to bring up her experience with the Goblin King or his labyrinth. If they were rulers of the underground, did that mean they ruled over the Goblin King or were they simply neighbouring kingdoms? Sarah’s head throbbed in protest of being put to so much work.

Persephone’s eyes seemed to glint knowingly. “I’m sure you have,” she said softly, giving no further explanation, even when her husband arched an eyebrow at her. “I think that’s enough questions for now. I think Sarah needs some food and more rest.”

Hades stared at his wife a few moments longer before coming to his own conclusions, nodded once, and clapped his hands together twice. “Food and water for miss Sarah. Only the best for our guest.”

Wondering who he was talking to, Sarah glanced around the room, inhaling sharply when a ghostly figure came floating into the room, a silver tray held in it’s translucent hands. How the tray was actually held escaped Sarah, because to her, the thing looked like anything with a corporeal form would just fall through it. However, if she was truly in the underground, far stranger things had happened, so who was Sarah to say what could and couldn’t happen? She had learned many years ago not to take things for granted. Just because the ghostly figure looked like it couldn’t hold a tray, didn’t mean that it couldn’t.

“We will be back later, dear Sarah. For now, eat as much as you like, drink as much as you can. Your plate and cup will never be empty so long as you wish it full. You will need more rest. Questions and answers can wait.” Persephone ran a hand across Sarah’s forehead, brushing back her hair almost like a mother would. “Should you need anything, Captain Voight will be just outside your door. Simply say his name and what you need, he will obey you without question, within reason.” There was a lightly veiled warning in Persephone’s tone as she continued. “I am going to ask you not to leave your room, however. You are a welcome guest and I do not believe you mean us any harm, but for the most part you are a human and we cannot have someone living wandering our halls. You are safe in this room, with us, and with Captain Voight. That is all.”

Sarah nodded dazedly, more questions swirling through her mind as she waved goodbye. Mostly human? A ghost for a guard? She thought of all the greek mythologies she had read about Persephone and Hades, unsure what would be true and what would be story only.

“If that is all, miss, I’ll return to my post outside,” the ghost- Captain Voight, said brusquely. He had a rather rugged looking face, but there was kindness in his eyes.

“Wait!” Sarah reached out instinctively to grab ahold of Captain Voight’s sleeve, flinching when her hand swiped through the air. Really, what had she been thinking trying to grab ahold of something that so clearly wasn’t physically there?

Captain Voight turned to look at her, his expression giving nothing away as he waited for further instruction.

“I’m sorry,” Sarah murmured, slowly withdrawing her hand back into her lap. “I just-” She glanced around the room helplessly. “Would you mind if I asked a few questions?”

“I am here to serve miss Williams.”

So formal and to the point.

“Right.” Drawing in a deep breath, Sarah tried to put on her friendliest expression. “I still don’t fully understand where I am. I have heard of the Underground, but I’m beginning to see that it is much bigger than I originally thought.” She paused, wishing his blank face could look even just the slightest bit more encouraging. “I believe the Underground I visited previously was- was more Fae? And not human?”

Words had ceased to work for Sarah. So much for being a great storyteller; she couldn’t even string together her own thoughts together in a proper sentence.

If Captain Voight thought anything - good or bad- of her wording, he didn’t show it, just remained as stoic as ever. “Lord Hades and Lady Persephone rule over the human division, yes. The Underground of the Fae is an entirely different section. Another realm, if you would.”

“If it’s in a separate-” Sarah broke off, feeling confused and frustrated. “How did I end up _here_ and not _there_? I wanted to go back to- to-” Sarah found she couldn’t even bring herself to finish the sentence. What did she want to go back to? Or rather, who? Sarah didn’t even know if going back was possible or even if _He_ wanted her back there.

Now, however, was not the time nor the place to figure all of this out. Later, she told herself firmly.

“Thank you, Captain,” she said softly, as politely as she could. “That will be all.”

With a slight bow, Captain Voight floated out through the door without further comment.

Location and esteemed hosts aside, Sarah had many many other questions of her own that pertained to, well, herself. The last thing she remembered, apart from her peculiar dream with the spirit of the labyrinth, was going on a seemingly drunken walk through the snow, nothing else on her mind apart from go go go. She vaguely remembered Toby saying something to her as she left, but Sarah hadn’t fully registered the words as she ambled past. There was also a faint memory of a wish being made, yet Sarah knew she hadn’t said the right words. For if she had, she would be with _him_ and not Persephone and Hades.

As she thought, Sarah slowly began eating, eyes slipping shut as her entire body rejoiced at how good the food tasted. For so long food had tasted like ash on her tongue, so this was both such a relief and a treat. The goblet of water she sipped at was the crispest and most refreshing water in existence, Sarah would swear to that.

True to Persephone’s word, no matter how much Sarah ate or drank, her goblet and plate was never empty. Not until she set her fork down and leant back on the pillows with a contented sigh did the plate stop refilling itself. Sarah was too tired to question how it knew she was finally full. And full she was. Almost to the point of bursting at the seems. Sarah knew she had gorged herself and would probably regret it later, but for now, she was happy to be finally full and quietly wiggled back into a laying position on the bed. Closing her eyes, Sarah fell asleep rather quickly, despite having slept for the past four days. 

Years of no sleep would not be remedied in a mere four days.


End file.
